Rail-joint



mamen.

H. B. KAEHN.

RAIL JONT,

APmlcATloN FILED APR.9. 192x.

Patented June 2L @QL L K MMIII I 'HM y) WHW W @wm/magi UNITED STATES HENRY B. KAREN, OF GOLTRY, OKLAHOMA.

RAIL-JOTNT.

Application filed April S, 1921.

To all fr0/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY B. KAEHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goltry, in the county of Alfalfa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specifica-tion, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is the purpose of' the present invention to provide improved means connecting the abutting ends of two rails, and also to improve the construction of rail joints in general.

Another purpose is to provid-e a device of this kind, by means of which the adjacent rail ends are held securely against vertical and lateral displacement.

Still another purpose is to provide a rail joint which can be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, and also to provide a construction, such as will prevent the ad-` jacent rail ends separating due to the constant vibration of the rails, as caused by the passage of the rolling stock thereover.

A further purpose is to provide a rail joint, which is simple, ellicient and practical in construction, and can be manufactured for a relatively low cost, and sold and equilpped upon railroads at a reasonable pro `t.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible of changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth7 shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved rail joint constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation of the adjacent rail ends, showing one of the rail ends in section, thereby illustrating the interior construction of the parts of the joint in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan View, showing parts of the joint in dotted lines.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Serial No. 459,872.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4-4 of F ig.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5'5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the abutting ends of two rails. The end of the rail 1 in its web 3 is provided with an enlargement 4. The under face of the base of the rail 1 is provided with a cut away portion 5, to receive the extension 6 of the rail end 2. This extension 6 of the rail end 2 has an upwardly extending flange or web 7, the end of which terminates in a head 9. This head has a flat face 10 adjacent where the head joins theflange or web 7. This flat face projects laterally from each side of the web or flange 7 thereby providing shoulders. Furthermore the head 9 is conical shaped, and enters the correspondingly shaped cavity 11, formed in the enlargement 4 of the web 3 of the rail 1. This cavity 11 adjoins the out away portion 5 of the base of the rail. Also the enlargement 4 of the web 3 of the rail.1 has an elongated recess 12. for the reception of the flange or web 7 This recess 12 also adjoins the cavity 11 and the cut away portion 5 of the bas-e of the rail 1.

When the adjacent rail ends are united, the extension 6 enters the cut awayv portion 5 of the base of the rail 1, while" the flange or web 7 enters the recess 12, and furthermore the head 9 enters the cavity 11, and since the upper end of the head 9 projects above the upper edge S of the flange or web 7, a shoulder 13 is caused to be formed, in order to engage the shoulder 14 of the cavity 11. This shoulder 14 is due to the fact that the cavity 11 is shaped correspondingly to the head 9. By this construction excessive longitudinal movement of the rail ends relatively to each other is prevented. The construction and arrangement of the flange or web 7 and the head 9 and the recess 12 and the cavity 11 are such as to permit expansion and contraction of the rail ends. In fact the cavity 11 is slightly larger in cross section than the head 9, permitting expansion and contraction of the adjoining parts. Also the distance between the shoulder' 13 and the shoulder 15 of the rail end 2 is greater than the distance between the shoul- .der 14 and the end 16 of the rail l, hence permitting of expansion and contraction of the parts.

The web or 4flange 7 is provided with transverse openings 17, which register with correspondingly shaped openings 18, in the opposite walls of the enlargement l of the rail end 1, so that when the two rail ends are Lunited suitable wedge keys 19 may pass therethrough, thereby locking the united parts of the rail ends, Suitable spikes 20 are driven through the larger ends of the Wedge keys, and through the overlapping parts of the bases or' the rail ends, and into the ties, for holding the parts together, and preventing lateral as well as upward displacement of the same relatively to each other. It will be noted that one of the wedge keys is inserted through the adjoining parts from one side of the rail end 17 while the other wedge key is inserted from the opposite side.

The openings (which receive the wedge keys) have their bottoms horizontally disposed, thereby causing the lower faces of the keys to assume substantially horizontal planes. Y In this way the upper .faces of both wedge keys are inclined in opposite direction-s, 'for the reason that the wedge keys are engaged through the adjoining parts of the rail ends in opposite directions. By means of the wedge keys together with the anchoring means ior the keys7 the various parts of the rail joint are held securely in position against displacement.

Furthermore as there is no lateral movement of the adjoining rail ends the rolling stock in passing over the'rails will not cause relative vibrations of the rail ends, therefore will avoid any noise. Furthermore the adjoining rail ends can be coupled in a very short while, and furthermore may be applied upon tracks which are curved. Furthermore they present a form of joint that can be used in connection with rails, which are capable of being moved from one place to another.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as being useful is:

, 1. The combination with a pair of adj oining rail ends, one of said rail ends having its base cut away, and an elongated recess and cavity opening downward in the remaining web portion, of a web or flange projecting from the other rail end and provided with a head, to enter the cavity or the iirst rail end, said cavity and the head having adjoining shoulders to hold the rail endsV against displacement longitudinally, and means'pa-ssing transversely through the rail ends and through the last mentioned web or flange for connecting the rail end.

2. The combination with a pair or adjoin- Y ing rail ends, one of said rail ends having its base cut away, and an elongated recess and cavity opening downward inthe remaining web portion, ot a web or flange projecting from the other rail end, and provided with a head, to enter the cavity of the first rail end, said cavity and the head having adj oining shoulders to hold the rail ends against displacement longitudinally, and wedges, one extending through the walls of' the elongated recess and the last mentioned web or flange from one side oi the rail and the other extending through said corresponding parts from the opposite side oi the rail ends, and means for holding the wedges in position.

In testimony whereoil l hereunto ailix my signature. -HENRY B. KAEHN.

It is hereby 'certified that Letters Patent No. 1,382,291, granted june l, 192i,

upon the application of Henny B. Kaelin, of Goltry, Gllalnona, for an improvernent in Rail-Joints, were erroneously issued to the inventor, said Kaehn, as owner of said invention, Whereas said Letteis Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said Kaem, ami T m64/ B. Gilbert, jointly, said Gilbert being assignee of one-half interest in said invention, as shown by the 'records of assignments in this ofliee; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the sanne may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Ollice.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of September, A. D., 1921.

[SEAL KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Cl. 23S-235. 

